Karl Urban’s $80M Box Office Bomb Is Officially Fighting Back on Streaming
Karl Urban's video game adaptation Mortal Kombat II underperformed at the box office but has since become a hit on HBO Max, highlighting how streaming success can offset a theatrical disappointment. The sequel to 2021's Mortal Kombat marked Urban's debut as Johnny Cage, adding to a career that includes Billy Butcher in The Boys, Eomer in The Lord of the Rings, and Bones in the rebooted Star Trek films.
Mortal Kombat II grossed just $129 million against an $80 million budget, a poor return once marketing and distribution costs are factored in, but it has since ranked among the most-watched titles worldwide on HBO Max. It holds a 64% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes alongside an 86% "Verified Hot" audience rating. Although the ending hints at further instalments, Warner Bros. has yet to officially greenlight Mortal Kombat 3, with the studio reportedly still weighing the franchise's future after the sequel failed to break even in cinemas.
- Mortal Kombat II flopped in cinemas but thrives on HBO Max streaming
- Film grossed $129m against an $80m budget, breaking even doubtful
- Mortal Kombat 3 not yet confirmed as Warner Bros deliberates
New here? Start with this
Karl Urban is best known for playing tough, physical characters, including Billy Butcher in The Boys, Éomer in The Lord of the Rings, and Bones in the rebooted Star Trek films. In 2025's Mortal Kombat II, based on the long-running video game franchise, he took on the role of Johnny Cage, following on from 2021's Mortal Kombat film.
Despite an $80 million budget, Mortal Kombat II struggled at cinemas, taking $129 million worldwide, a total considered weak once marketing and distribution costs are included. It received mixed reviews from critics but was more warmly received by general audiences.
The film has since found a much larger audience on the streaming service HBO Max, becoming one of the platform's most-watched titles. This gap between its cinema and streaming performance matters because studios increasingly weigh both when deciding whether to continue a franchise, and Warner Bros has not yet confirmed whether a third Mortal Kombat film will be made.